Q & A WITH

DR . GRADY MILLER

Now that our fields are dormant for the winter , we have more time to tackle field maintenance and projects that we could not get to during the summer and fall . Is there anything that we should not do now ?

As I was organizing my thoughts for this question , I found it difficult to come up with a list of things you should not do without also making suggestions of things you should consider doing .

Fields are often wetter in the winter because of less evaporation due to the cooler air and lower transpiration from dormant turfgrass . With wet soils comes the greater chance of causing soil rutting if you put heavy equipment on the field . Also , dormant turfgrass , when disrupted , will not generate new lateral stems and roots to re-tack and recover . These two situations may limit winter construction projects on the field — especially if the field will be used for play before spring green-up .

If you do decide to initiate some construction projects , such as adding drainage or running new irrigation lines , then be sure and cut your dormant sod extra thick to retain existing roots for structure and stability when it is put back into place . Thoroughly tamp around the sod edges to fill any gaps in the existing profile and the new sod . Another tip is to replace bare areas using thick-cut plugs made with a 7-inch hexagon plugger from a non-play area . The hexagon shape eliminates gaps that can occur when using round plugs , so stability is not compromised .

A construction project that you may want to tackle during winter is infield and warning track renovations to baseball and softball fields . Removing lips , edging and regrading infields , plus rebuilding mounds and home plate areas can be easily accomplished without damage to the dormant turfgrass . While you are working down the baselines , you may also give your surrounding fencing and backstop some attention .

In general , dormant turfgrass requires little to no irrigation , mowing or fertilizer . If the winter is very dry , then the bermudagrass may need some irrigation to prevent desiccation damage . Have your staff check the system ’ s operation while running through the zones . Occasional mowing will clean up plant debris that is

on the surface and give the turfgrass a more uniform appearance . This slow time offers a great opportunity to complete annual maintenance needs on mowers and other equipment . Although it is not always considered fertilizer , application of lime ( if warranted ) over the winter allows plenty of time for it to work its way into the soil — encouraging grass growth the following spring . Just be careful that your lime application equipment does not cause ruts .

Do not dethatch during dormancy as you want to maintain as much dormant stem and leaf tissue on the plant as possible through the winter . Topdressing would be okay at low to moderate rates , but I would generally suggest waiting until the turfgrass is actively growing . Like liming , be careful not to cause rutting with application equipment .

The last two cultural practices to address are aerification and rolling . Implementing these practices in the winter is a bit controversial . Aerification can be beneficial for gas and water exchange in the soil , as well as reduction of compaction . But aerification after the turfgrass is fully dormant can result in the holes remaining open for several weeks . While this seems to be a positive , the downside is that air exchange in these open holes encourages a more rapid and thorough cooling of the soil profile . This increases the potential for winterkill of turfgrass , so proceed with caution . Rolling a field in the winter can be effective at smoothing out surface imperfections since the field is often softer during winter . The trick is to use a roller size and weight that is appropriate for the soil ’ s firmness at that time , and to balance out any negative compaction effects of the rolling with in-season aerification . SFM

Grady Miller , Ph . D . Professor and Extension Turf Specialist North Carolina State University

Questions ? Send them to Grady Miller at North Carolina State University , Box 7620 , Raleigh , NC 27695-7620 , or e-mail grady _ miller @ ncsu . edu

Or , send your question to Pamela Sherratt at 202 Kottman Hall , 2001 Coffey Road , Columbus , OH 43210 or sherratt . 1 @ osu . edu

50 SportsField Management | January 2024 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com